Portable building apparatus.



n PATENTBD MAY 17,1904. 11.1311111111.

4 sums-s111121 1.

PORTABLE BUILDING APPARATUS.4 Alfrmonlon HLBD 0012.31, 190s.. 11o 1:01am..

. 1.................... a EQ nw N., et 4 1........,............,.. s f, F.... V T.1.

-..hv .r||.n|nm|u|u.n. 1.|||||..n|1||||1|| |4|||||1 l IH.. n Hlhnm rn E y T HHNNHHHHNU L I L 1.. .HHHHHUI'U H1. FJHUWUH N s I Il No. 760,179. PATPNTBD MAY 17, l1904.

LPRA-Nn; PORTABLE BUILDING APPARATUS.

11o MODEL.

4 BHEETS-SHEET 2.

MAM/W@ E0 IODEL.

PATBNTB'B MAY17, 1904. B. BRAND. PORTABLE BUILDING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIQN PILBD ooT.s1, 190s.

4 SHEETS-SHEET s.

we Norms PETERS co. Puco-Ll'run. wgswnovzw. n r.

110.760,1'18." l Y PATENTBD MAY 17, 19.04.

. HJsRAND.A i

,PORTABLE BUILDING APPARATUS.v

APPLIOATION FILED 00.1231. 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

no xoD'EL.

@XM/Www:

na/7% l nwo., wumnown, o. c.

Patented May 17, 1904.

i, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY BRAND, oF OAKLAND, oALiEoRNiA.

PORTABLE BulLniNe. APPARATUS;y

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 760,178, dated May -17,v 1904. v Application filed October 31, 1903. Serial No. 179,348. (No mOdeL):

To /ZZ whom itV may concern:

Be it known. that I, HARRY BRAND, a citizen -of the United States, residing at Oaklaud,in

the county of Alameda and State of California,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Portable Building Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to an apparatus which is designed for the purpose of preparing finished building. material ready for immediate beris to be used.

f It consistsof a portable structure mounted upon wheels containing all the machines and apparatus necessary for thework permanently set up and maintained in line and in readiness for instant operation and a motor from which 2O tail of transverseshaft connections.

Figure ly is a plan View of lirst ioor of my apparatus.` Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my apparatus. Fig. 3 is plan of second floor. Fig. 4 is a rear end View of forward section. Fig. 5 is a detail of shaft-coupling. Fig. 6 is a de- Fig. 7 is a detail of crank-shaft clutch.

In the present manufacture of lumber the.

large mills, located inor near the forests, cut the lumber to certain specified sizes, usually from one-fourth to one-half inch larger than the ultimate sizes which are to be used, to

compensate for drying and shrinkage, and in the enormous quantity of lumber which is cut in a day by such millsthere cannot be much accuracy as to the sizes. As aresult of this all rough lumber must first go to the mill to be sized and then hauled to the building, making l two haulage expenses and the additional work l Ofthlocal mili'. in additionaaiisalinie nnished lumber-such as is produced by planers, stickers, `Shapers, jointers, saws, lathes, &c.-- must also `be produced in the mill and shipped to the building, making another expense.

It is the object of my invention to Vprovide a portable self-propelling apparatus in which all necessary machines for Sizing and woodworking are permanently set up and always in line and ready for use,to place in said structure an engine or motor of sufficient power to drive any or all the machines, and to mount the apparatus upon convenient wheels, with supplemental connections between said wheels and the motor, so that the latter may be disconnected from the machinery and connected with the bearing-wheels, so that the apparatus may provide its own traction to move it from place to place where work is to be done. rIhis is especially valuable in the case of country building, where comparatively small houses are ybeing built at great distances from mills, where lumber can be properly prepared, and in such cases the rough lumbermay be shipped directly from the place where lirst manufactured to the place of use without breakingbulk or transporting to or froml intermediate mills for the purpose of preparing it for-tits ultimate use. K ,Y Y Y This apparatus enables the carpenters to do accurately by machinery all thatwork which is usually done by hand and accomplishes a great saving intime and expense..

rIhe apparatus may bemade of any suitable or convenient size, eitherin asingle structure or in a plurality of structures adapted sto be connected together.

here shown a plurality of buildings AA, which are preferably made of steel structural material rigidly united together'and having a light but suiiiciently permanent covering,

- which may b e made of any suitableor desired material, depending upon the climate and locality in which the apparatus-is to beV used.

In climates which are comparatively warm-and dry, as in California, the coverlng may be l made of waterproof canvas or of light wood A For convenience of transportation and rel duction of weight of the'apparatus I have or the like. I have here shown the structure made with a second floor superposed above the lower one, the sides of the apparatus being sufciently high for that purpose. The lower portion of the structure has doors,which may be suitably hinged, so as to be conveniently opened. In the present drawings I have shown these doors 2 occupying a considerable depth of the lower story, having the upper edges hinged to the permanent frame and capable of being opened upwardly, so as to allow of required light and ventilation to the lower story of` the structure. The sides of the building corresponding with the upper .floor may be provided with windows, as at 3, or in hot dry climates may have doors opening in a similar manner to those described for the lower floor. At each of those floors are permanently located such machines as are necessary in woodworking and which are common and well known in permanent millssuch as saws of all descriptions, Shapers, turning-lathes, planers, jointers, &c. These machines are conveniently located upon the floor .ofthe structure, as indicated in the drawings.

The two, independent structures A are mounted upon wheels, as at B, these wheels having broad tread, so that the weight of the apparatus may be easily transported without sinking on soft roads or where it is necessary to cross land to reach the site of the proposed building. Each of the structures may have open ends, which are designed to be brought together when the apparatus is set up for use. Whennot in use, the two maybe suitably coupled together and transported in a train, as will be hereinafter more fully described. When the place where they are to beemployed has been reached, the two ends of the structure may be brought together and suitably united. VFor this purpose and in orderV to make a connection to throw the whole apparatus into a single-room, I have shown doors formed-of jointed sections, as at 4, and hinged to the end of one or both the cars, as at. rIhese jointed' sections or, if preferred, canvas or other flexible and foldable material, are closable when the apparatus is .to be transported, so that the interior will be protected from the elements and from outside interference. When the cars are to be set up, these doors are opened out and the ends of the cars are brought together in proper alinement, being suitably leveled and blocked, so as to maintain the position while in use.

Any suitable or available motor may be employed upon the apparatus; but for conven-v ience and safety I have designed to use a gasolene, distillate, or equivalent engine, as shown at 6, connected with a crank-shaft, as at 7. rIhis engine is` located upon the structure, and I have here shown it conveniently placed transversely thereto, and the engine-shaft extends sufficiently beyond the engine-frame to admit of two driving-pulleys 8, from which belts pass to pulleys 9 upon the main or line shaft 10, which is suitably journaled longitudinally in the upper part of the structure or of that portion in which the engine is located. Where the apparatus is made in two separate sections, the two being alined, as previously described, the second line-shaft 10 will be brought approximately into line with the shaft 10, and by means of a universal joint and preferably a-tumbling-rod, as at 11, connections may be made between the two shafts, so that both may be driven from the motor, and absolute accuracy of alinement will not be revquired on account of the tumbling-rod and universal-joint connection. i rIhus all the apparatus in both the parts of the structure can be driven in any or all portions used, as required.

Various apparatus may be located, each portion with relation to the other, as may be found best suited to their relative work, and those portions on the second'iioor are driven by belts from the main line-shafting.

In order to provide a suiiicient length of belts for the proper traction and driving of the apparatus, I have shown a second lineshafting, as at 12, extending across the oppomachines are then driven by belts passing around pulleyson this shaft and extending across the structure to give the proper length of belt, the direction of such belts being' dependent upon the character and relative position of the machines. `Another object is also attained by this arrangement in that the niachines may be conveniently located in the contracted space which is available for theni.

15 is a shaft extending transversely from side to side of the structure and having spools or drums 16 upon opposite ends for the purpose of connecting hoistingropes, so that bricks, mortar, lumber, &c., can be conveniently hoisted upon the building which is being constructed. rI`he apparatus will be set as close to the building foundations as will be necessary for this purpose and so that the linished lumber can be placed directlyv in the building without expense for transportation. rI`he hoisting-shaft 15 is preferably set close to the engine upon one side, and another shaft 17 is journaled upon the opposite side of the engine. The engine-shaft projects beyond the pulleys 8 and carries upon each outer end a gear-wheel, as shown at 18, and these gears are in turn designed to transmit motion both forward and reverse to other gears mounted upon these shafts, as shown at 19 192 I have in the present case shown the gears 18 19 as beveled gears, and the gears 19 19 may be slidable upon feathers upon their respective shafts and be movable by levers engaging clutches, as at 20, so that either of the gears may be engaged with the gear 18 and power IOO IlO

transmitted in either direction to the shafts f1'5 and 17, and each of the shafts may be operated independently of the other without stopupon the shaft of the bearing-wheels B, so

'that when the gears are engaged to drive the shaft 17 p'o wer may be transmitted to the bear- .ing-wheels and thewhole apparatus made self- .propelling v yny suitable differential-gear or pawl-andratchet mechanism may be interposed v in the wheel-shafts or connected parts to allow one wheel to travel yfaster than the other when turning corners, and when the apparatus is to be transported the shafting l 10 is disconnected at the-coupling-pointll. The two parts of the structure separated, the end doors may be closed and any suitable towing connection may unite the two structures, so that the power of the engine upon one of them will be transmitted to propel that structure and to tow the other one. This is sufliciently effective upon reasonably level going; but if hills are encountered while the engine is not ,suficientlypowerful to haul both `structures at once the one containing the engine and the hoisting-drums may be first taken up the hill,

then anchored in any suitable manner, and

ropes connect the hoisting-drums'with the second section of the apparatus, which can then behauled up, and yafter the grade has been overcomel the two can be again connected, as previously described.

If the apparatus is made two stories in height, it will sometimes be found necessary to reduce its height to, pass under bridges, trees, telegraph-wires, or like low obstructions, and in order to effect this I have shown the upper part of the story made foldable, so as to temporarily reduce its height. Thus the upper portion of the sides containing the windows, as at 3, may be folded down, and the roof 23 may be made in two sections meeting centrallyand having the outer edges hinged to the folding sides 3, so that each half may be turned down along with the sides, thus reducing the height of the structure by the depth of the portion which is folded. These sides may either be folded-outwardly or inwardly, and the roof-sections in the latter case will lie in the same plane, the length of the two foldable parts not being greater than the entire width of the structure. For this construetion it will be understood that the vertical frame-posts will not extend above the line on which the folding takes place.

This apparatus is especially valuable because it makes it possible to employ accurate machinery located in close proximity to any building which is being erected, so that the carpenters and finishers are enabled to accurately form, cut, and fit all the work which is r usually done by hand, which labor constitutes a large portion of the ordinary expense of building operations.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure .by Letters Patent, isv la The combination in a building and lumber-working apparatus of a plurality of floors or structures arranged in line one with the other and mounted upon wheels,woodworkingr andlike machinery permanently fixed and alined upon rsaid floors, main line-shafts and pulleys through which poweris transmitted to said machines, a motor permanently located in the structure and driving connections between the motor and the line-shaft, bearing andl traction wheels upon which the apparatus lis supported 'and gearing intermediate between the engine and said bearing-wheels wherebyv 'power may be transmitted from themotor to propel the apparatus from place to place.'

2. The combination in a woodworkingand t building apparatus of a structure comprising one or more sections having woodworking and like machinery permanently fixed upon its floors and shafts in the structures through which power is transmitted to said machines journaled and alined therewith, a motor located in the apparatus having its driving-shaft extending in each direction beyond the frame, belt-pulleys upon the engine-and line-shaft,

and connecting-belts and means for connecting or disconnecting the same with the engineshaft, gear-wheels fixed upon the ends of the engine-shaft outside of the pulleys, shafts journaled at right angles with the engineshaft and gears and clutch mechanism whereby said gears may be engaged with theA engine-shaft gears, bearing-wheels upon which the structure is mounted, sprocket-wheels connected with the bearing wheels and other sprockets upon the transverse shaft and chains IOO whereby power is transmitted to propel the apparatus.

3. Thecombination in a woodworking and building apparatus of a plurality of structures IIO mounted upon bearing-wheels, woodworking 'Y lnectionbetween the two whereby rnotionisl transmitted to' the second shaft to drive'machinery in the second structure, wheels upon'Y which both structures are mounted, connection lbetween the engine-shaft and the wheels of said structure whereby power may be transmitted to move the structure and place it in 'l relation to the second structure.

4 The combinationin an apparatus for woodworking and building, of structures having floors, wheels upon which said structures are mounted, an engine located transversely in one of the structures, shafts journaled transverely to the engine-shaft and parallel with the engine-frame, bevel-gears fixed upon the ends of the engine-shaft, other bevelgears and clutches slidable to engage with either of the engine-shaft gears and upon either side thereof, whereby the'movements of said shaft `may be reversed, connections betweenone of the shafts and the bearing-wheel whereby motion is transmitted to propel the structure, and connections between the other shaft and winding-drums or gipsies whereby hauling power may be transmitted, woodworking and like machinery permanently located upon the floors of the structures, line-shafts, means for flexibly connecting said shafts, means for transmitting motion from the engine to said shafts, and means for transmitting motion from the shafts to the machines upon the floors.

5. An apparatus for woodworking and building, said apparatus comprising a plurality of structures having foldable and elosable doorsupon the sides and end, said end doors being capable of moving to allow the structures to be brought together and form a continuous open space, wheels upon which both the structures are mounted, line-shafts jour-k naled in the two structures, a iiexible universal-joint connection between said shafts, whereby they run :in unison, an engine located in one of said structures, connections between it and the line-shafting in said structure whereby motion is transmitted through. woodworking and like machinery located upon the floors of the two structures, with belt connections between said machines andy the lineshafts, connections between the cugine-shaft and the bearing-wheels of the structure whereby motion is transmitted to propel the latter, and means for engaging or disengaging the engine with either the traction or machine-propelling devices.

6. An apparatus for woodworking and building purposes consisting of a structure mounted upon bearing-wheels having woodworking machinery located upon the floors thereof, an engine and means for transmitting power therefrom to independently drive the machineryor to propel the structure over the ground, means for reducing the height of the apparatus to avoid obstructions when being moved, said meansconsisting of foldable sides and roof capable of being depressed below the normal height substantially as herein described.

7. An apparatus for building purposes, said apparatus comprising a plurality of structures arranged in line one with the other and each having woodworking-machines permanently located therein, means for transporting the structures and a motor, with connections whereby the machinery and the propelling apparatus may be independently connected with the motor. Y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY BRAND.

Witnesses:

Guo. A. OAKns, J. M. BRAND. 

